Animal shield

ABSTRACT

A shield for enveloping a leg-sustained injury on four-legged animals includes a tubular member having cut-out sections and harnessing means such that the movement of the animal is unimpaired.

Unifiefl Siaies Piers? Friedman 1 Feb. 12, 1974 ANIMAL SHIELD 686,33812/1901 Ready 128/133 [76] Inventor: Sanford J. Friedman, 152601,488,978 411924 Kenton, Oak Park, Mlch- 48237 739,634 9/1903 Allen128/87 R [22] Filed: Dec. 23, 1971 Primary Examiner-Lawrence W. Trapp[2H Appl' No" 211,529 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Arnold S. Weintraub [52]US. Cl 128/154, 128/133, 119/96 [51] int. Cl. A6 [57] ABSTRACT [58]Field of Seal-chi 22 5 A shield for enveloping a leg-sustained injury onfourlegged animals includes a tubular member having cut- I 56]References Cited out sections and harnessing means such that themovement of the animal is unimpaired.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENIEB FEB 1 2 I974 FIGI [mssssmsssssm P4FIGS ANIMAL SHIELD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the InventionThe present invention concerns injury protection devices and inparticular injury protection devices for four-legged animals. Even moreparticularly, the present invention concerns an injury protection devicefor four-legged animals which enables unimpaired movement of the injuredlimb.

2. Prior Art Domestic animals, such as, cats and dogs, as well as otherfour-legged animals, such as, horses, bovine animals, and the like havea tendency to sustain leg injuries, such as, cuts, abrasions,lacerations, burns and the like. Veterinary treatment greatly aids andabets cure for the sustained injury.

However, during the post-treatment the animal has a tendency to gnaw,chew or otherwise get at the injury location which may have stitches,topical dressings or other medicinal treatment applied thereat duringhealing. This action by the animal tends to inhibit and prolong therecuperative period and may lead to infection of the injured site. Thus,the present invention seeks to provide an injury protection device whichwill effectively prevent the animal from reaching the injury wound andas an advantageous concomitant thereof does not deter or otherwiseimpair movement of the injured limb.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention aninjury protection device for quadropods or four-legged animals comprises'a tubular member having transversely opposed cut-out sections. Thecut-out sections are adapted to enable the leg joints to have completemobility such that the movement of the animal is unimpaired. The devicefurther includes harnessing means for securely attaching the device tothe animal.

Means for venting the injury to the atmosphere to facilitate in healingof the injury are also included with the device.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference ismade to the following detailed description and accompanying drawing. Inthe drawing like reference characters refer to like parts throughout theviews in which:

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of thedevice of the present invention in use;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device of the present inventionalong its vertical axis;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the device of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is another side elevation of the device showing the harnessingmeans;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a side-elevational view of an alternate embodiment of theinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing, and inparticular to FIGS. 1-5, it is seen that the present device ltllgenerally includes a tubular 12 having opposed cut-out sections 14, 16and means 18 for harnessing the device to a fourlegged animal 20.

The tubular member 12 is adapted to envelop the in- 5 jured portion ofthe limb without being restrictive.

Thus, the tubular member 12 has a diameter greater than that of theanimal leg 22. The tubular member 12 is preferentially constructed ofany wellknown light weight material such as a polyurethane, polyvinyliccompound, or similar material of sufficient durability to prevent theanimal from gnawing or chewing therethrough to get at the injury.

The member 12 has one end 24 thereof provided with a first arcuatecut-out section 26 defining an arcuate edge 27. The cut-out section 26is provided in the tubular member 12 to enable the joint of the leg 22of the animal to be completely mobile so that the mobility of the animalis unimpaired.

The opposite or second end 28 of the tubular member 12 has a cut-outsection 16 similar to that of cut-out section 14, also, being arcuate inform and defining an edge 29. The cut-out section 16 is opposed tocut-out section 14 along the transverse diagonal of the tubular member12.

As shown in FIG. 4, optionally, a cushion 30 is provided along the edge29 of the cut-out section 16. The cushion 30 can comprise a cushioningfoam material, or other similar material and enables the area of theanimal around the joint to rub against the edge 29 of the cut-outsection 16 without inducing any injury to the leg. The cushion 30 isbonded to or otherwise secured to the area of the member 12 proximatethe edge of the cut-section 16.

A cushion (not shown) similar to that of cushion 30 may, also, beprovided along the edge of cut-out section 14.

It is to be appreciated that by the present invention completeprotection of the leg injury and complete mobility of the leg are hereinachieved.

Referring to FIG. 2 in order to secure the device 10 to the animal aharnessing means 18 is included with the device 10. The harness meansincludes a torso band 32 which snuggly engages the torso or trunk of theanimal. The torso band, preferably, comprises two sections 34 and 36with fastening means, such as, snaps 38 for separably connecting the twosections together. However, it is to be understood that the torso bandcan comprise a single elongate band which by its elasticity snugglyengages the torso, such as is shown in FIG. 4.

The torso band is fixed to the tubular member in any convenient mannersuch as by rivets, studs or the like.

The harnessing means 18, preferably, further includes a transverse band40both ends of which are connected to the torso band substantially asshown'in FIG. 2 such as by stitching, riveting, or the like. Thetransverse band engages the leg of the animal and provides stability tothe torso band, as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 4, an elongate band 42 has one end thereof connectedor otherwise attached to the torso band 32 approximately mediallythereof.

An attachment clip or other attachment means (not shown) is mounted orotherwise secured to the other end of the elongate band. The attachmentmeans is connectable to a collar, chain or other device attached aboutthe neck of the animal.

The provision of the elongate band 42 enables deployment of the shieldabout a hind leg of the animal.

As shown in FIG. 3 in order to enable the injury to heal by exposure tothe atmosphere, the tubular member 12. is provided with a plurality ofvents 44 to allow the passage of air therethrough.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is depicted therein an alternatepreferred embodiment of the present invention. According to thisembodiment, the device 1 10 includes a tubular member 112 arcuate inform.

The arcuate configuration accorded the tubular member 112 is sufficientto accommodate free movement of the mid-joint of the leg while providingmeans for protecting an injury located proximate the mid-joint of theleg.

It will, also, be apparent from the preceding that the present inventionprovides a device whereby the limbs of a four-legged animal can beprotected from sustaining an injury when in an environment conducive toimparting an injury thereto, without impairing the movement of thelimbs.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1. An injuryprotection device for a four-legged ani mal comprising:

a. a tubular member having transversely opposed arcuate cut-outsections, the tubular member having a diameter substantially greaterthan the leg of the animal to envelop the injured portion of the leg,

and b. harnessing means for securing the device to the animal.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein cushioning means 5 are disposed alongthe edges of the cut-out sections.

3. An injury protection device for a four-legged animal comprising:

a. a tubular member having transversely opposed arcuate cut-outsections, and

b. harnessing means for securing the device to the animal, theharnessing means comprising: 1. a torso band connected to one end of thetubular member, and 2. a transverse band adapted to engage the leg of isan arcuate tubular member.

1. An injury protection device for a four-legged animal comprising: a. atubular member having transversely opposed Arcuate cut-out sections, thetubular member having a diameter substantially greater than the leg ofthe animal to envelop the injured portion of the leg, and b. harnessingmeans for securing the device to the animal.
 2. The device of claim 1wherein cushioning means are disposed along the edges of the cut-outsections.
 2. a transverse band adapted to engage the leg of the animaland having both ends thereof connected to the torso band.
 3. An injuryprotection device for a four-legged animal comprising: a. a tubularmember having transversely opposed arcuate cut-out sections, and b.harnessing means for securing the device to the animal, the harnessingmeans comprising:
 4. The device of claim 3 wherein the harnessing meansincludes an elongate band having one end connected to the torso band andattachment means provided at the other end of the elongate band.
 5. Thedevice of claim 3 wherein the torso band comprises a first and secondsection and means for separably connecting the two sections together. 6.The device of claim 3 wherein the tubular member is an arcuate tubularmember.